Louise Taylor’s match report has landed, so I’ll leave you with that. Thanks for your company and emails - bye!
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That’s a decent, deserved point for Newcastle, who played with plenty of pride and just enough quality in the final third. But it’s another frustrating day for Spurs, who have now dropped 15 points from winning positions this season.
Full time: Newcastle 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Peep peep!
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90+2 min Reguilon’s cross clears Kane and reaches Lamela beyond the far post. It bounces up a little awkwardly, and he screws a shot into the side netting with his right foot. I’m surprised he didn’t try another rabona.
90+1 min Ritchie’s stinging volley from 20 yards is blocked by Lamela.
90+1 min There will be four added minutes. A goal for either side would be gold dust.
90 min Sean Longstaff drags a tame shot wide from 25 yards.
89 min Bale wallops it into orbit.
88 min Bale is going to take it. Who writes his scripts?
87 min Lamela is fouled 28 yards from goal by Sean Longstaff. Gareth Bale is coming on for Lo Celso, and might well take the free-kick.
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Saint-Maximin beat a couple of players in the middle of the field and found Ritchie on the left. His deep, deflected cross was headed back across goal by Joelinton. Almiron’s header was blocked onthe line by Rodon but Willock followed up to ram the ball off the underside of the bar and into the net!
GOAL! Newcastle 2-2 Spurs (Willock 85)
Arsenal’s Joe Willock has equalised!
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85 min: Kane hits the post! So close to the hat-trick. Spurs broke superbly from a Newcastle corner, with Lamela running 70 yards before finding Kane on the left of the area. He shaped to shoot across goal and then dragged a low shot that wrongfooted Dubravka and hit the outside of the near post.
84 min Newcastle have switched to a back four now, with Shelvey back in midfield. Spurs look fairly comfortable, though they will be conscious of all the late equalisers they have conceded this season.
83 min: Newcastle substitution The excellent but shattered Jacob Murphy is replaced by Javi Manquillo.
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81 min Shelvey is now playing as the third centre-back for Newcastle. Saint-Maximin is still up front alongside Joelinton, rather than in his usual position on the wing.
80 min “Reluctant Newcastle fan here, Rob,” says Rod Wooden. “The thing I have most against Bruce is his dreadful team selection. A couple of months ago, he told Jacob Murphy that he had 17 games to prove himself and deserve a new contract. Since then he has either been on the bench or not picked at all, and has come on a few times as a sub. Now, with just eight games to go, he finally starts him – and the kid is probably Newcastle’s best player so far. Words fail me, they really really do.”
79 min Emil Krafth is replaced by Joe Willock.
78 min Son’s free-kick is headed away as far as Hojbjerg, who belts it into orbit from 25 yards.
76 min Saint-Maximin’s first solo run is ended by a superbly timed tackle from Hojbjerg.
73 min: Chance for Spurs! Dubravka makes a vital save, smothering Kane’s close-range shot at the near post. Kane was put through by Ndombele, but there was little room to manouevre and Dubravka was out very quickly.
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73 min Kane thumps the free-kick into the wall.
72 min Shelvey is booked for fouling Lamela 25 yards from goal.
71 min A Newcastle change. The popular Allan Saint-Maximin comes on to replace Dwight Gayle.
70 min: Just wide from Joelinton! That was a great chance for Newcastle. Krafth’s deep cross was pulled down superbly by Joelinton, who tried to guide a shot into the far corner. It beat Lloris but drifted just wide.
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69 min This is a good spell for Spurs, who are chasing the third goal that would probably kill Newcastle off.
67 min: Almiron clears off the line! Lo Celso’s inswinging corner from the right was punched up in the air by Dubravka. Tanganga leapt majestically to head the loose ball towards goal, and Almiron headed it off the line.
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65 min Dummett is booked for pulling back Lamela.
65 min “Vis-a-vis Mary Waltz’s thoughts about what makes Kane special,” begins Trevor White. “As a Canadian, it reminds me of G.O.A.T. hockey-player Wayne Gretzky’s explanation for his success: ‘I go to where the puck is going, not to where it has been.’ Kane has this same preternatural sense.”
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64 min Tanganga is booked for fouling Ritchie. Spurs make a second change: Erik Lamela on, Lucas Moura off.
63 min Newcastle have had 15 attempts to Spurs’ four. They also have no Harry Kanes to Spurs’ one.
61 min Ritchie’s corner is headed up in the air by Shelvey. Gayle moves towards the bouncing ball, rolls Kane and helps the ball back across goal. Joelinton, on the stretch, diverts it wide from a couple of yards and is then flagged offside. Replays suggest he was probably onside, though, so it might have counted had he scored. It was a deceptively tricky chance because he was at full stretch and the ball bounced awkwardly.
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60 min Murphy, who has played very well, sprays a pass out to his fellow wing-back Ritchie. His cross is booted behind by Sanchez.
57 min It’s all a bit scruffy at the moment. Spurs have blown quite a few leads this season, so they’ll want a third goal.
53 min Spurs have switched to a 4-1-4-1 with the introduction of Son. He is on the left, Lucas Moura has moved to the right and Lo Celso is in the middle alongside Ndombele. Hojbjerg is sitting in front of the back four.
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49 min Newcastle have made a fine start to the second half. Murphy has a couple of shots blocked before Longstaff spanks the loose ball over the bar.
47 min “Kane is special, just not in a way that will make the highlight clips of flashy internet hits,” says Mary Waltz. “What is it that makes him so special? A masterful ability to be two steps ahead of everyone else and brutal finishing skills.”
46 min Almiron has a half chance after 20 seconds, shaping a curler towards the far corner that is pushed behind at full stretch by Lloris.
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46 min Peep peep! Newcastle begin the second half.
Half-time substitution Spurs are bringing on Son Heung-min for Carlos Vinicius.
“It’s a strange beast of a season, Rob,” says Guy Hornsby. “We’ve been disastrous at times and yet there’s still a chance we could threaten fourth. But what will another year with José really bring us? And - as feels likely - without Kane, today’s a clear message that we’ll be a pretty toothless team. It’s a bit terrifying, really. I just hope he can turn it on against City, because we really are the millennium’s perennial silver medalist.”
Half-time reading
Half time: Newcastle 1-2 Tottenham
Peep peep! Spurs lead after a scruffy but very entertaining first half. Joelinton gave Newcastle the lead - but he also stirred the beast in Harry Kane, who scored twice in the next six minutes to put Spurs ahead.
45+2 min Newcastle keep the ball alive after a Shelvey free-kick is cleared. Eventually Joelinton eases the ball through to Longstaff, who shoots well wide from a tight angle.
45+1 min Two minutes of added time.
84 - In just 120 appearances away from home, Harry Kane has scored 84 @premierleague goals - the most by a player on the road for a single club in the competition's history. Icon. #NEWTOT pic.twitter.com/kf9bxB4U32
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 4, 2021
45 min Lo Celso is booked for fouling Almiron off the ball.
44 min “I agree that Harry Kane is a majestic footballer, but it’s hard to say exactly why,” says Gary Naylor. “I’d venture that the main reason is his decision-making, a vital component of any great player in any sport, but Kane seems “next level” (as the kids say).”
His technique is very good with both feet, but I’d probably agree that his brain is his biggest asset.
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42 min: Chance for Newcastle Gayle overhits a simple angled pass to Almiron, who would have been through on goal. It won’t show in the stats but that was a great opportunity.
39 min Shelvey’s outswinging corner is met by Lascelles, whose volley deflects behind for another corner. Ritchie takes the second one and Hojbjerg heads clear.
39 min Murphy’s dangerous low cross is kicked behind by the stretching Rodon. It was a vital interception, with Gayle waiting behind him, though he hurt himself in the process.
36 min This isn’t news, but Harry Kane really is the most majestic footballer.
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Harry Kane has his second, and it was a cracking finish. Ndombele surged through midfield and reversed a fine pass to Kane in the inside-right channel. His first touch was perfect, pushing the ball into the space so that he could run on and thump it under Dubravka. That’s a superb goal.
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GOAL! Newcastle 1-2 Spurs (Kane 34)
Bang bang!
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34 min “Ah the tragedy of Newcastle,” says Mary Waltz. “They thoroughly outplay Spurs, get a much deserved goal, and give it right back in less then 90 seconds. They have the stink of relegation all over them.”
Eau de EFL is my favourite aftershave.
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32 min Vinicius’s low cross towards Lo Celso (I think) is brilliantly cleared by Ritchie in the six-yard box.
Lo Celso, on the right, poked an angled ball towards Kane in the area. Krafth nipped in front of him but then tried to run the ball to safety instead of clearing it. It ricocheted off Kane and past Dubravka, allowing Kane to run on and stab it into the empty net from a few yards.
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GOAL! Newcastle 1-1 Tottenham (Kane 30)
Harry Kane has equalised straight away!
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Spurs tried to play out from the back but made errors galore. Tanganga gave it away; then Sanchez gave it away; then Hojbjerg lost a 50/50 with Ritchie on the edge of the area. The loose ball was picked up by Sean Longstaff, who slid an inviting pass across the area to the unmarked Joelinton. He finished superbly, sidefooting into the corner from 10 yards.
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GOAL! Newcastle 1-0 Spurs (Joelinton 28)
It’s there!
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25 min “Davinson Sanchez is making a hell lot of mistakes out there,” says Yash Gupta. “He’s literally the carbon copy of Dier.”
I’m sensing rancour.
24 min: Vinicius has a goal disallowed for offside. Play continued, even though everybody knew he was offside, and the flag went up as soon as the ball hit the net.
23 min Shelvey’s long-range shot is blocked by Rodon, though I think it was going wide anyway.
21 min Newcastle have grown into the game after a slightly ominous start. The first goal feels especially important today given the fragile confidence of both teams.
19 min: What a chance for Gayle! Shelvey floated a lovely ball towards Gayle, whose downward header was brilliantly saved to his right by Lloris. The ball bounced back towards Gayle, three yards from goal, but he didn’t connect cleanly with his left foot and Lloris managed to wedge the ball against the post.
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16 min This is better from Newcastle. Shelvey sprays a long pass out to Murphy on the right; he curls over an excellent cross that is missed by Gayle and headed behind by Sanchez. That looked like a decent chance for Gayle; I think he mistimed his jump.
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15 min Shelvey’s corner yields the square root of bugger all.
14 min Krafth shows a bit of confidence on the ball, dancing past Ndombele and driving a long-range shot that deflects behind for a corner.
13 min Newcastle look very low on confidence, particularly in possession.
10 min “I don’t envy Spurs,” says Ian Copestake. “Losing to Newcastle carries with it enough ignominy to make it a six-pointer.”
8 min Spurs have made a fast start and are well on top at the moment. Kane twists past Krafth and lifts a shot from a tight angle that is punched round the near post by Dubravka.
7 min ... and Kane thumps it into the wall.
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6 min Moura is fouled 22 yards from goal by Almiron, although he felt he got the ball. Kane and Lo Celso are over the ball...
5 min Lucas Moura’s free-kick from the left wing beats everyone in the six-yard box and bounces just wide of the far post. That was so close.
2 min A poor header from Sanchez goes straight to Joelinton, who moves to the edge of the D and hits a rising drive towards goal. It’s too close to Lloris, who pats the ball down and grabs it at the second attempt.
1 min Newcastle, as expected, have started with three central defenders.
1 min Peep peep! Spurs, in their yellow away strip, kick off from left to right.
The players are out on the field. It’s a pleasant afternoon in Newcastle, with a hint of sunshine.
Full time: Southampton 3-2 Burnley That’s such a stirring victory for Southampton, who were 2-0 down at one stage. They now have 36 points and will surely stay up.
In the early game at St Mary’s, Southampton have come from 2-0 down to lead Burnley 3-2. They really do have an unconquerable spirit. When I grow up, I want to work for Ralph Hasenhuttl.
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Pre-match reading
Team news
The fit again Allan Saint-Maximin is among the Newcastle substitutes. Steve Bruce has made five changes from the team that folded against Brighton a fortnight ago, and may have switched to a back three. Spurs are unchanged from their 2-0 win over Aston Villa before the international break, though Son Heung-min is fit enough for the bench.
Newcastle (3-5-2) Dubravka; Krafth, Lascelles, Dummett; Murphy, Almiron, Shelvey, S Longstaff, Ritchie; Joelinton, Gayle.
Substitutes: Darlow, Clark, Lewis, Manquillo, Hendrick, Willock, M Longstaff, Anderson, Saint-Maximin.
Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2) Lloris; Tanganga, Sanchez, Rodon, Reguilon; Lo Celso, Hojbjerg, Ndombele, Lucas Moura; Vinicius, Kane.
Substitutes: Hart, Winks, Lamela, Dier, Sissoko, Alli, Son, Bale, Scarlett.
Referee Craig Pawson.
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Preamble
Steve Bruce and Jose Mourinho are top of the table. Sadly for their self-esteem levels, this particular table is the one with odds on the next Premier League manager to do one. Whether it’s fair or not, these are the two least popular managers in the league, and they know that plenty of their team’s fans will want them to lose today.
In these style-conscious times, winning alone is not enough for Bruce or Mourinho - yet it’s still essential for both teams. Newcastle, who were 13th at Christmas, have been sucked into a relegation battle and are in desperate need of points. Spurs are in an exquisitely tight five-team race for the last Champions League spot, and a win today would lift them from seventh to fourth. Jose in! Jose out!
Kick off 2.05pm.
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